1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a golf swing training device that incorporates a platform and a series of displaceable poles or bristles to help guide a golf club through a swing. More particularly, the invention relates to a golf swing training device that contains a series of adjustable legs to adjust the height of the platform.
This invention is particularly important because it is designed to develop a new way for a golfer to swing a golf club. Previously, golfers were taught to swing a club in one continuous motion, rotating through the swing on both a horizontal and vertical plane. However the new style golf swing requires that the golfer separate his swing such that it has both a vertical component and a horizontal component. To initiate the backswing in this new style, the golfer turns his hips and torso while keeping the club head low to the ground. Once the golfer has turned substantially through his range of motion, the golfer then raises his club in a substantially vertical manner, and cocks his wrists to complete his backswing. In this position the golf club is raised over the golfer""s head.
Next, to initiate the downswing, the golfer drops his hands straight down in a substantially vertical manner and then once the golfer drops his hands to a position adjacent to his hips, the golfer next rotates his hips and torso which moves the club head in a substantially horizontal manner. As the golfer rotates through his swing he impacts the ball driving the ball outward to the target. On the swing follow through, the golfer keeps the club head low until he has substantially completed his rotation and then the golfer raises his club head into the air. Essentially the device according to the invention is designed to help a golfer initiate this new style swing.
2. The Prior Art
Golf swing training devices are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,719 to Bunn discloses a golf club swing training device that contains a top platform supported by side walls. The top platform holds the golf club head down during a swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,220 to Cooper et al. discloses a golf club swing practice device that contains a front face that is angled to teach a golfer an inside out swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,816 to Pearson, discloses a golf club practice device that contains a substantially vertical support and a substantially horizontal support having a front face designed to guide a golf club.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,445 to Melancon discloses a golf swing training device that is disposed between the golfer and the golfer""s ball. This swing training device has a front face that controls the inside face of a golfer""s golf shaft while the present invention controls the outside face of the golfer""s golf shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,837 discloses a golf swing training device that contains a pair of legs that are insertable into a ground surface and a spacer bar for spacing the legs apart and a rising bar that controls the path of a golfer""s swing. This rising bar is also angled in a substantially semi-circular manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,802 discloses a golfing aid for improving a golfer""s swing comprises a base, a support arm and an elongated rod. In this case, the invention differs from the present invention because there is no platform that forms a guide path for a golf club during a swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,456 discloses a golf training apparatus that comprises a semi-circular rim that is designed to control the swing path of a golfer. In this case, the semi-circular rim is designed to extend substantially upright so that it guides a golfer""s swing by guiding a front edge of the golfer""s golf club.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,854,392 to Bambrick discloses a golf club guide that contains a substantially vertical semi-circular swing guide. In this case, the substantially vertical, semi-circular swing guide attaches to a user""s club so that the user""s club is guided along with this swing guide as it rotates during the user""s swing.
Essentially, while swing guides are known in the prior art, swing guides that are collapsible, and contain a substantially adjustable vertical platform are not known in the art.
The invention relates to a golf swing training device that comprises platform containing displaceable poles or brushes to help guide a golf club through a swing. In this case, this platform is designed so that it supports displaceable poles or brushes that guide a person""s golf club head through a golf swing. The platform itself contains a series of elongated support pieces that are designed to support displaceable poles or brushes on the platform. The displaceable poles and bristles are arranged to form a semi-circular swing region in a center region of the platform. This semi-circular swing region allows a person swinging their golf club to turn through their swing and complete a swing with a full turn while keeping their club head low, traveling along a substantially horizontal path towards the hitting surface.
The platform can be positioned between 10 inches and 50 inches off the ground or any other hitting surface by a vertical support formed by a series of telescoping legs. These supports or legs are adjustable via a series of clamps disposed on each of the telescoping legs. When the clamps are tightened around the legs, they fix the legs in the desired elevation. In this way, a person can fix the height of this swing training platform based upon their own swing preferences.
The platform can also be folded up for easy storage. This platform actually comprises two sections formed as mirror images that are joined in a center region by an attachment piece. This attachment piece allows these two mirror image pieces to be detached from each other so that the two sections of the platform can be folded into each other. Thus, when the two pieces meet, the top surfaces fold towards each other to form a more compact device that is easier to carry and ship.